Sprinkling jump rope



Oct. 22, 1963 w. A. cooPER SPRIANKLING JUMP ROPE Filed NOV. 5. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Cooper INVENToR.

0t.22, 1963 w. A. COQ'PE g 3,167,916

s PRINxLING JUMP ROPE 1 Filed Nov. s. 1961 Sheets-snaai 2 Figs "Il I Fig. /0 g 4 Wil/lam A. Cooper /l2 INVENTOR.

n n Bi/@wwm [20 3 Miam 3,107,916 SPRINKLING JUMP ROPE Wiliiam A. Cooper, 1515 McKinley, San Antonio, Tex. Filed Nov. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 150,032 12 Claims. (Cl. 272-74) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in amusement and exercising devices, and in particular the invention concerns itself with a jump rope type device wherein an elongated member with substantially coaxial end portions and a bowed intermediate portion is caused to revolve about the axis of its end portions while a child, standing between the end portions, jumps over the bowed intermediate portion each time it passes close to the ground during its revolution.

The principal object of the invention is to materially improve upon a conventional jump rope of the character above outlined and to substantially increase the amusement and enjoyment derived from its use, this being attained by utilizing a perforated tubular conduit in place of the conventional rope and providing means for delivering water under pressure into the conduit so that it is discharged as a spray through the perforations of Ithe conduit to sprinkle the jumping child.

Several embodiments of the invention are disclosed, some of simple construction and others yof a more complex nature. Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts, and wherein:

FIGURE l is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a sprinkling jump rope in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional View, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2 2 of FIGURE l:

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional Iview, taken substantially in the plane Iof the line 3 3 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 4 4 in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view of a modified embodiment;

FIGURE 6 is a )fragmentary sectional view of the open end portion of the conduit in the embodiment of FIGUR-E 5;

AFIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional View of the closed end portion of the conduit in the embodiment of FIGURE 5;

lFIGURE 8 is an enlarged sectional detail, taken substantially in lthe plane of the line 8 8 in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 9 is an elevational View of another modified embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE l0 is a fragmentary sectional view of the open end portion of the conduit in the embodiment of FIG- URE `9.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, more particularly to FIGURES l-4 inclusive, the sprinkling jump rope in `accordance with the invention :is designated -generdly by the numeral 14 and comprises a tubular conduit 16 of rubber, plastic, or the like, which is substantially U-shaped in coniiguration, hav-ing a pair of substantially coaxial end portions 18, 26, Iand a bowed intermediate portion 22. The intermediate portion of the conduit is provided with lateral orifices 24 Ifor spraying water delivered under pressure into the conduit, as will be hereinafter described, the water spray being indicated at 26 in FIGURE l.

The conduit end portion is secured by a clamp 28 on a tubular bushing 30 which is rotatably mounted on a tubular end portion 32 0f an L-shaped bracket 34, the latter having a at portion 36 which is lfastened by a clamp 3',i-7,9lb Patented Oct. 22, 1863 38 to a suitable support, as for example, an upright standard or pole 40. The material of the conduit 16 may be suiliciently stift` for the conduit to sustain its U- shaped coniiguration by itself, but if not, a reinforcing wire or rod I42 may extend longitudinally lthrough the conduit for sustaining the shape thereof. As shown in FIGURE 4, the diameter of the rod 42 is substantially smaller than the inside of the conduit, so that the rod does not materially interfere with passage of water through the conduit. An'end por-tion `of the rod 42 projects outwardly -from the end portion 20` of the conduit into the bracket 34, where it is rotatably journalled in a suitable bearing, as at 44. It is to be noted that in the rotatable mounting `of the conduit portion 20 on the bracket 34 4as described and shown in FIGURE 2, the bracket 34 provides a closure for the end portion 20 of the conduit so that water cannot leak from the conduit at that end.

The other end portion 18, which may be referred to as the open end of the conduit, is secured by a clamp 46 on a a tubular end portion 48 of a hollow crank 50, the other end of the hollow crank being closed by a suitable hand lgrip l52 which is provided thereon. The crank 56 is rotatably journalled in a bearing 54 provided in a cross bar 56, the latter having vdepending legs "58 which are slidably Vdisposed in a pair of vertical tubes 6l) secured to a suitable base 62. The base 62, the tubes `60, the legs 58 and the cross bar 56 thus constitute a supporting frame for rotatable mounting of the crank 50 yand the height at which the crank is disposed may be varied by sliding the legs 58 in the tubes 60 and subsequently locking the legs against sliding by suitable set screws 64 provided in the upper end portions of the tubes. The end portion of the reinforcing rod li2 projecting from the end 18 of the conduit 16 may pass into the crank 50, as shown in -FIG- URE 3, so that when the crank is rotated, the conduit will be rotated therewith without imposing undue strain on the attachment of the conduit portion 18 to the crank portion 48 by the clamp 46.

Water under pressure is delivered to the conduit 16 by a llexibleY hose 66, for example, a garden hose, provided with a coupling 68 which is connected to one arm of a T 70. The latter is rotatably positioned on the crank V50 through a plurality of apertures 76 formed in ing 54 and is prevented from endwise displacement thereon by a pair of keepers 72. The T 70 encircles the crank 50 in spaced relation so as to form an annular chamber 74 and the latter communicates with the interior of the crank 58 through a plurality of apertures 76 formed in the crank. Suitable seal-ing rings 78 are provided in the T 70 to prevent leakage, and it will be apparent from the foregoing that with the hose 6'6 land the T 70 remaining relatively stationary, the crank 50 and the conduit 16 may be rotated while water is delivered Ifrom the hose through the T and throughV the crank to the conduit, for spraying therefrom through the orifices 24.

The embodiment 114 of the invention is intended to be used by at least two players or participants, one of whom turns the crank 58 while the other jumps the revolving portion 22 of the conduit. FIGURES 5-8 illustrate a modified embodiment which is designated generally by the numeral 80 and is somewhat simpler than the embodiment 14. In the embodiment 80 the substantially coaxial end portions 82, 84 of the conduit 86 are secured in tubular sleeves 88, l90, respectively, on which are rotatably mounted tubular hand grips 92. The conduit 86 is apertured `as at 89 and a reinforcing rod 94 may be provided in the co-nduit, if so desired or necessary for the conduit to retain its U-shaped configuration. One end of the conduit is closed by the provision of a plug 96 in the sleeve 90, while the sleeve `88 at the open end of the conduit is provided with an adapter 98 to which the water delivery hose 100 is `connected by a rotatable coui pling 102. The embodiment 80 is intended to be used by at least three participants, two of whom hold and manipulate the handles 92 at the ends of the conduit while the third is jumping. Provision of the rotatable coupling 102 permits revolution of the conduit while the hose i) remains relatively stationary.

A stil-l lfurther rnodiied and simpler embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGURES 9 and l0- and designated generally by the numeral 110. In this embodiment the conduit 112 has hand .grips 114, 116 molded or otherwise immovably provided on its end portions, the end of the conduit in the hand grip *116 being closed and the open end of the conduit in the hand grip 114 communicating with an adapter 11S. The latter is ernbedded in the hand grip v114 and projects outwardly therefrom for non-rotatable connection to a water delivery hose 120. A reinforcing rod is not provided in the conduit 112 and the material of the conduit is -iiexible in a rope-like manner so that it may be manipulated in the nature of a conventional jumping rope when two persons are holding the hand grips 114, 116, as shown. While the hand grips are not rotatable on the end portions of the conduit and Awhile the hose 120l is non-rotatably connected to the hand grip 114, the iiexibility of the conduit is sufficient to permit it to be revolved through several turns without harmful twisting or translated through a revolving orbit without any twisting or axial rotation of the conduit at all.

While in the foregoing there have been described and shown the preferred embodiments of the invention, various other modifications may becorne apparent to those skilled in the art .to lwhich the invention relates. Accordingly, it is not desired to llimit the invention to this disclosure and various modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

,What is claimed as new is:

1. A sprinkling jump rope comprising a tubular conduit having a closed end, an fopen end and provided intermediate its ends with lateral orifices, said conduit having a substantially U-shaped conguration with its end port-ions disposed in substantially coaxial relation, means at the closed end of said conduit for rotatably supporting the same, a hollow crank connected to and communicating with the open end of the conduit, a Iframe -for rotatably mounting said crank, a water hose, and rotatable means `connecting said hose to said crank -or delivering water through a portion of the crank into said conduit.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 together with a reinforcing rod extending longitudinally through said conduit, said rod being of a substantially smaller diameter than the inside of the conduit.

3. A sprinkling jump rope consisting of a tubular conduit having a closed end, `an open end and provided intermediate its ends with lateral orifices, means ttor delivering liquid under pressure to the open end of the conduit for discharge through said orifices, the end portions of said conduit lbeing adapted to be supported in a substantially .coaxial relation for revolution of the intermediate conduit portion about the axis of said end portions, a coupling rotatably connecting the open end of the conduit to said liquid delivering means, said coupling allowing continuous rotation of the conduit relative to the liquid delivering means throughout a 360 turn in either direction, and a pair of elongated hand confor-ming hand grips mounted on the end portions of said conduit, said hand grips being rotatably mounted and allowing continuous rotation of said conduit relative to the hand grips throughout a 360 turn :in either direction. Y

4. A sprinkling jump rope comprising a tubular conduit having a `closed end, an open end and provided intermediate its ends with Ilateral orilices, means for deliverond length `integral with and at a substantially right angleV to the outer end of said iirst length, and a third length integral with the outer end of the second length and extending in a direction opposite yfrom said first lengthin a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the iirst length.

5. The device as defined in claim 4, including a ver-` tically adjustable stand and means for rotatably mounting said actuating crank thereon forvertical adjustment therewith and rotation relative thereto.

6. The device as defined in claim 5 wherein at least the lirst length of said .actuating crank is hollow, this hol-low portion being in communication with the interior of the tubular conduit.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said means for delivering liquid includes a water hose, means rotatably securing the tirst hollow length of the crank to the hose for allowing rotation of the crank and conduit relative to the hose, and -water passage means for allowing `a constant movement ot water between the hose and the cori-v duit.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said means Ifor rotatably securing the crank to the hose consists of a hollow T, the first length of the crank extending through and being rotatably secured within the crossbar ofthe T, the water hose being lixed to the stem of the T, said water passage means consisting of a plurality of peripherally spaced apertures within the portion of the first length received within the crossbar, at least `one of said apertures being at `all times in communication with the stem lfor receiving water from the -hose so as to maintain a constant flow of water tinto the conduit.

9. The device of claim 4 wherein at least the iirst length 'of said actuating crank is hollow, this hollow portion being in communication with the interior of the tubular conduit.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said means tor delivering liquid includes a water hose, means rotatably securing the iirst hollow length of the crank to the hose for allowing rotation of the crank and conduit relative to the hose, and -water passage means for allowing a constant movement of water between the hose and the conduit.

11. The `device of claim 10 wherein said means for rotatably securing the crank to the hose consists of a hollow T, the first length of the crank extending through and being rotatably secured within the crossbar of the T, the Water hose being iixed to the stem of the T, said water passage means consisting of a plurality of peripherally spaced apertures within the portion of the irst length received within the crossbar, at least one of said apertures being at Lall times in communication with the stem for receiving water from the hose so as to maintain a constant iiow of water into the conduit.

1-2. The device as dened in claim 11 together with a reinforcing rod extending longitudinally through said conduit, said rod being of a substantially smaller diameter thanthe inside of the conduit.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,381,213 =Fonman Aug. 7, 1945 `2,750,232 Szantay et al. `lune 12, 1956 2,914,255 Jepson Nov. 24, 1958 2,952,413 Jepson Sept. 13, 1960 2,995,370 Deskins Aug. 8, 1961 3,005,592 Smith Oct. 24, 1961 

4. A SPRINKLING JUMP ROPE COMPRISING A TUBULAR CONDUIT HAVING A CLOSED END, AN OPEN END AND PROVIDED INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS WITH LATERAL ORIFICES, MEANS FOR DELIVERING LIQUID UNDER PRESSURE TO THE OPEN END OF THE CONDUIT FOR DISCHARGE THROUGH SAID ORIFICES, MEANS SUPPORTING EACH END PORTION OF SAID CONDUIT IN A SUBSTANTIALLY COAXIAL RELATION, THE INTERMEDIATE CONDUIT PORTION BEING BOWED FOR REVOLUTION ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID END PORTIONS, AN ACTUATING CRANK AXIALLY SECURED TO THE OPEN END OF THE CONDUIT, SAID ACTUATING CRANK CONSISTING OF A FIRST LENGTH AXIALLY ALIGNED WITH AND SECURED TO SAID OPEN END, A SECOND LENGTH INTEGRAL WITH AND AT A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT ANGLE TO THE OUTER END OF SAID FIRST LENGTH, AND A THIRD LENGTH 